This section is intended to introduce the reader to aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention or present solution, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
On-line shopping, or e-commerce, has in recent years become a popular way for consumers to shop for goods. Examples of popular consumer oriented e-commerce web sites include the well-known eBay® and Amazon.com® web sites as well as various shopping sites dedicated to goods from a particular vendor. These e-commerce sites typically provide static images of items or goods for sale with little interaction between vendors/merchants and potential buyers/customers aside from the ability to e-mail questions from a shopper to a vendor and viewing images of the items. Specifically, the potential buyer does not know when the static images of the items for sale were actually taken, nor if they are of the same or actual item for sale, particularly if the item is a live or living specimen (i.e., fish, plant, animal, insect).
Other e-commerce web sites, including those associated with organizations such as QVC®, Inc. and the Home Shopping Network®, Inc. provide videos of people selling products and links to purchase said products. For example, a web site associated with QVC®, Inc. permits potential buyers who are accessing the web site to send text messages that may be relayed to a person in a video selling the product. However, these television ordering and e-commerce web sites typically only provide a static representation, sample, or model of the item being sold and not the actual item that the buyer will be receiving.
Hence, there is a need for a method and system for allowing a buyer to purchase animals, items, or goods for sale by viewing live streaming video of the actual items or goods being offered for sale from a merchant and purchasing the animals, items, or goods.